Moderate habanero pepper heat and subtle cinnamon spicing receive toasted pumpkin glaze. Sweet pumpkin pie continuance nearly wiped out by habanero heat, leaving only a scattering of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg seasoning and orange peel sweetness at the thickly creamed caramelized pumpkin finish. On tap at Plank Pizza, ’18 version kept the habanero heat on top of pumpkin pie spicing as well as tertiary gourd, yam and sweet potato nuances.
Tag Archives: NEW BELGIUM BREWING
NEW BELGIUM JUICY MANDARINA INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Poor Henry’s, subtly sweet-spiced mandarin orange influence receives mildly creamed wheat malting for sturdily richer toasted bread spine (than usual IPA fare). Mild orange-peeled peach and grapefruit wisps settle below the surface.
NEW BELGIUM WHIZBANG HOPPY BLONDE ALE
Satisfactory Mosaic-hopped moderation spreads light lemon licks across sugar-spiced pale malts and mild toasted mineral graining, reaching proper stylistic astringency at the dank earthen bottom.
NEW BELGIUM ACCUMULATION WHITE IPA
Pleasant lemony grapefruit tang, white-peppered citric hop (Mosaic and Amarillo) bittering, delicate evergreen pining and fresh-cut grass earthiness pick up pithy sugar-spiced sweetness. Orange-peeled pineapple, tangerine and peach illusions barely reach the surface while creamy wheat malts stay safely below. Stylishly slick.
NEW BELGIUM BEN & JERRY’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH ALE
Slick pale-bodied collaboration with Vermont ice cream mavens, Ben & Jerry, allows latent phenol astringency to overwhelm chocolate chip cookie sweetness and cookie dough richness. In the distance, mild mocha creaminess receives brown-sugared molasses snip and light vanilla sugaring to compensate mild hop-charred aridity. A minor confection.
NEW BELGIUM PUMPKICK
Tepid and thin in comparison to sourer Terrapin Cranberry Pumpkinfest as autumnal 2016 trend towards cranberry-infused pumpkin ales takes off. Tart cranberry juicing never fully punctuates brown-sugared spicing or its contrasting raw-honeyed lemony gourd bittering. Instead, sweet nutmeg, ginger, clove and cinnamon accents stay annoyingly moderated.
NEW BELGIUM RANGER IPA
Subdued fruit-spiced entry brings easygoing appeal to moderate IPA. Well-balanced pineapple, grapefruit, orange, mango, peach and tangerine tang picks up sugar-spiced pale malting above soft white-breaded biscuity bottom. Tamped-down Cascade-Chinook hop bittering and dank pine sedation provide subtle contrast. Serve to heartier pale ale lovers.
NEW BELGIUM/ DE KONINCK FLOWERING CITRUS ALE
Worthily zestful collaboration between Colorado mainstay and historic Belgian brewery, De Koninck, makes for perfect floral-citric summertime moderation. Lemony key lime effervescence gains tart edge above sweetly fragrant hibiscus and rose pedal illusions. Light citrus-daubed blueberry souring and wispy strawberry-tinged Mistral hop influence play backup.
NEW BELGIUM FAT TIRE & FRIENDS FAT WILD ALE
On tap at Julian’s, mild (despite wild tag) sour ale collaboration (with nearby Colorado brewery, Avery) brings subtle brettanomyces acidity and light horse-blanketed barnyard leathering to herbal-tinged tropical fruiting. Honey-dipped grapefruit, orange, mango, tangerine, peach, pineapple and mango illusions drift in and out of musty palate. Sessionable sour ale suffices.
NEW BELGIUM RAMPANT IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE – 2016
Not half as ‘burly’ as advertised nor as welcoming as Colorado version, perfectly centrist medium-bodied India Pale Ale (bottled in newer Asheville facility) provides bright lemony orange-peeled grapefruit, pineapple, peach and mango tang to floral-daubed grassy hop bittering and resinous pine spike in polite manner. Brisk clean-watered crisping invigorates tropical fruiting. Watch for rubbery sulfuric off-taste and aspirin-like alkalinity when warmed.
NEW BELGIUM OSCAR WORTHY COFFEE
On tap at Poor Henry’s, smooth light-bodied ‘wild’ ale lets sour lemon acidity ascend atop mild cold-pressed coffee bittering. Lactic green grape vinegaring and tart oak tannins reinforce juicy lemon pucker. Delicate lemon-peeled espresso finish has calming affect.
NEW BELGIUM LA FOLIE SOUR BROWN ALE
On tap at Poor Henry’s, “mouthpuckering” Flanders Reddish Brown Ale aged in French oak barrels spreads sour lemon peel bittering, vinous balsamic vinegaring, tart plum-dried dalliance and oaken black cherry tannins over musty barnyard leathering. Salty citrus acidity and lactic yogurt milking contrast moderate residual sugaring.
